Hope
Scarlett
Michealson
"Tell us a story, Great Grandmother!" The children all cheered. I laughed from my chair. It was nice to see all their young faces again.
Most of my family was visiting, to celebrate my birthday. This year I would turn...113. And yet, I didn't look a day over 30. My family knew the secret, but they dared not tell anyone. Only the children didn't know. It was the story I had told to three generations, two of which, had seen it...
But the story had an end. Like all. It wasn't exactly a happy one, but it made me happy. Since those day, I had always had hope. That's why I loved to tell the story.
As the children cheered, the adults gathered around. No one got sick of this story. Just this one. They all chuckled.
"Yeah, come on, Grandma. Tell us again." One of my grandsons nodded. I sat back in my chair.
"Well alright." I started.
"Yippee!" They clapped and the whole room grew quiet, waiting, in serious anticipation. I smiled.
"The first time I met him. It was for a news story." I started. Their eyes were wide with excitement. "He was special, you know. Not like all the other guys out there." I smiled. They giggled.
It was true. He was different. He wasn't just good-looking, smart, honest, kind, gentle, loving, or anything else. No, he was actually different. He wasn't...human. He was something stronger, faster, deadlier, more powerful. He was world famous.
To the co-workers we eventually shared, he was Clark Kent. He was a bit of a nerd, he wore glasses, and he was always on everyone's good side. He did his work, and he worked hard. He wrote great articles, and even won several prizes, including Pulitzers, an Edward Prize, and even a Nobel Peace Prize. He was by all accounts, an incredible person.
But that was only one side of him. There was another. An even...cooler, one.
The rest of the world knew him as Superman. He wasn't human, but he was a hero. Perhaps, the most famous of all. Even in the superhero community, he was regarded as the best of the best. He was the strongest, the most powerful, the most dangerous.
"You already said that, Great Grandma!" One of them reminded me. I chuckled.
"Oh yes! Right!" I smiled, and went on.
Everyone knew his superpowers too, because he was always using them to save people, and even, the world! He was strong, his skin was impenetrable, he could shoot lasers from his eyes, he could see through everything except lead, and...he could fly!
At this, all their mouths dropped, and many of them gasped, saying "Woah!" That was always my favorite part.
But, there was one thing, a superpower he had, that no one knew about, except of course, him.
The whole room was incredibly silent, waiting for me to say it. You could have, in fact, heard a needle drop. I know, because I heard one drop at that moment.
After we fell in love, and decided to get married, he took me, high up into the sky one night, among all the stars, and he asked me a question. He asked...if he could kiss me.
At this, all their little faces contorted into confused expressions.
"But what about his secret superpower?!" They all begged. I laughed.
"Just wait!" I explained. When they were all quiet, I continued.
His kiss was the superpower. He only ever kissed me. Do any of you know why?
When they had all shaken their heads, I smiled.
Because his kiss, will make you live forever.
Now they all looked at each other, gasping and amazed, until the oldest, Peter, raised his hand. I smiled.
"Yes Peter?" I asked. The young boy thought he was clever.
"So how old are you?" He asked. I giggled and all the adults laughed. The only reason they believed was because I sat before them.
"113." I replied. Their wide eyes made me howl with laughter. They were a great, funny, bunch.
"So where is he?" He asked. The room fell quiet again. I sighed, and sat back in my rocking chair.
"He's gone." I nodded. They all frowned.
"Is he alive?" Peter asked. I shrugged.
"Ask me that some other time in the future." I told him, he nodded. Now Clarisa raised her hand.
"But, you were married? And you lived and worked together?" She asked. I nodded.
"Yes." I smiled. She nodded and sat down again.
After that, everyone slowly left. The children of course, wanted to hear more stories but I told them all another time. When everyone had left, I sighed and cleaned up the house, doing the dishes, putting the chairs away, and then sitting down on the couch.
It had been over 50 years since anyone had seen him. In truth, according to records, and his funeral, he was dead and had been dead. But according to my heart and suspicions, he was alive. For I had never lost hope.
As afternoon turned to evening, I made myself some dinner and walked onto my back porch. I looked up at the night sky, and sighed.
"Come back to me, Kal El." I whispered into the summer night breeze. closing my eyes.
I finished my dinner, but remained there, watching the night, listening to the crickets. Closing my eyes again, I thought back to us and all the memories. He had saved my life so many times that I had lost count. He had saved the world multiple times and done many other incredible things.
"But you're my hero." I could almost hear his voice in the night breeze. I chuckled.
"Oh yeah, how's that?" I asked the night.
"You never lost hope." I heard a reply in my ear. My eyes launched themselves open and my heart skipped a beat.
Slowly, I looked down, and from the corner of my eye, I saw something move, it was red, and blew in the breeze...almost like the corner of his cape.
I spun around, and stared the alien in the eyes.
"Clark..." I whispered, covering my mouth. He smiled.
"Lois." He breathed, stepping towards me, and he put his hands on my arms. I knew then, that he was real.
"What happened, where did you go?" I asked. He looked at the ground, and back at me.
"I had to hide. To wait until he died. Otherwise you would be dead." He whispered. I understood right away, and nodded.
"But you never lost Hope." He repeated, looking down at his chest. On the front of his suit was what humans would call an "S" but in reality it was a symbol for a hope.
"You never lost Hope." He smiled. I nodded. It was also the name of the suit, Hope, and it was what made him...him. He was, by his very definition, Hope. I had never lost hope, I had never lost him. I nodded.
"What do you say?" He asked, taking my hand in his, and he nodded at the sky. I smiled.
And once we were far up in the sky, among the stars, he showed me another superpower, one I hadn't even known he had. As we stared at one another, his eyes suddenly pierced mine with red lasers, transforming my very core, and my nature.
Not only did I gain him back that night, but I gained something else, something far more...dangerous...
So even he was afraid now.
The family eventually heard, and the children cheered. The story did have a happy ending after all, except, well, it isn't over.
And if you're careful, you might see him there, way up high, flying among the stars...
Do you believe?